Mistreatment
of Manning Criticized by Leading Law Professors & UN Torture Investigator

Hundreds
of Thousands Write Obama Urging End to Manning Abuse

Retired
Colonel: "Obama Could End Torture of Manning
With One Phone Call"

Washington, DC:
The eight months of solitary confinement of Bradley Manning at Quantico
has drawn national and international criticism in the last week. Support is growing for him around the world
with 500,000 writing President Obama in the last few days and with hundreds of
top U.S. legal scholars criticizing his conditions of confinement.

Lawyers representing every leading law school in the
United States have written an open letter to President Obama criticizing the
conditions of Manning. Among the law professors is Lawrence Tribe who was President
Obama's law professor at Harvard and served in his administration until
recently. The letter, Private
Manning's Humiliation , raises questions about President Obama saying:
"President Obama was once a professor of constitutional law, and entered the
national stage as an eloquent moral leader. The question now, however, is
whether his conduct as commander in chief meets fundamental standards of
decency."

Col. Ann Wright (ret) who served 29 years in the
military noted that "President Obama could end the treatment of Manning with
one phone call. As Commander-In-Chief he
is responsible for the actions of the Marines at Quantico. Certainly he understands the constitutional
right to be convicted before punished and that the condition of Manning
violates protection from cruel and unusual punishment."

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The UN Rapporteur on Torture Juan Mendez reprimanded
the United States for blocking an official visit with Manning to investigate
his treatment. The UN torture
investigator has been reviewing Manning's case since December but the United
States will not allow a private meeting with no tape recording. The military has also refused a U.S.
Congressman's request for an official visit to Manning, Rep. Dennis Kucinich,
as well as a visit from Amnesty International.

Daniel
Ellsberg, a veteran who graduated from Quantico and is noted for leaking the
Pentagon Papers commented: "It seems likely that the
Pentagon's refusal to allow Amnesty International and the UN Rapporteur on
Torture to hold unmonitored discussion with Bradley Manning (as the UN mandate
demands) reflects well-founded fear that such experts on abusive conditions and
torture could conclude that Manning's treatment is not only "ridiculous,
counterproductive and stupid' -- as State Department spokesperson P.J. Crowley
was forced to resign for saying-- but criminal."

This comes at a time when the U.S. and China are
challenging each other on human rights. China
issued a lengthy report regarding human rights violations in the United
States this week. As PJ Crowley, former Assistant Secretary of State said when
he resigned the Manning case would be an embarrassment to the U.S.
internationally, highlighting "the broader, even strategic impact of
discreet actions undertaken by national security agencies every day and their
impact on our global standing and leadership. The exercise of power in today's challenging times and relentless
media environment must be prudent and consistent with our laws and values."

Around the world there is growing anger at the
treatment of Manning. Five hundred
thousand people have sent letters to President Obama urging him to "immediately
end the torture, isolation and public humiliation of Bradley Manning." The petition was put out by Azaaz.org and is
addressed to President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton and Secretary of Defense
Gates.

"A half million people have taken a stand in support
of Bradley Manning. It's certainly a challenge to President Obama to get on the
right side of history here and finally put an end to the extreme and illegal pre-trial
punishment," said Jeff Paterson, a veteran speaking on behalf of the Bradley Manning Support Network. "After
he ends the mistreatment of Manning, he could then ensure that Bradley receives
the fair and public trial that is guaranteed under the Constitution."

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Call
the White House and tell President Obama end the torture of Bradley Manning:
Comments: 202-456-1111. Switchboard: 202-456-1414.

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http://www.ItsOurEconomy.us and http://www.ComeHomeAmerica.U

Kevin Zeese is co-chair of Come Home America, www.ComeHomeAmerica.US which seeks to end U.S. militarism and empire. He is also co-director of Its Our Economy, www.ItsOurEconomy.US which seeks to democratize the economy and give people greater (more...)